The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has released social media influencer Martins Innocent Otse, known as VeryDarkMan (VDM), to his legal representative, Deji Adeyanju. The release occurred shortly after Adeyanju raised concerns about delays in issuing a formal bail document. Omoyele Sowore also announced VDM's release on X, thanking those who contributed to the effort.

Adeyanju initially described the bail as a "social media bail" because no formal document was provided. The EFCC had previously stated that Otse would be released after meeting bail conditions, noting that his arrest stemmed from alleged financial crimes. The EFCC urged the public to allow them to conduct their investigation without undue influence, confirming they had obtained a Remand Order against VDM.

The Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) criticized the EFCC for what they deemed the arbitrary arrest and illegal detention of VDM. HURIWA questioned the EFCC's stated reasons for the detention, calling them baseless and unrelated to the agency's mandate, likening the EFCC's focus on a social media influencer to "chasing rats while the house is on fire" given the pervasive political corruption in Nigeria.

HURIWA referenced the EFCC's claim that Otse was arrested due to multiple petitions related to alleged financial crimes and his failure to respond to invitations. The rights group condemned the EFCC's actions as an abuse of power, violating Section 15(5) of the Constitution, which prohibits corrupt practices and abuse of power.

HURIWA also highlighted Adeyanju's statement that the EFCC had not received any official petition against VDM, casting doubt on the legality of the detention. Emmanuel Onwubiko, the National Coordinator of HURIWA, accused the EFCC of a witch-hunt driven by VDM's social media criticisms of the agency's commitment to fighting corruption and his accusations that the EFCC was treating individuals involved in currency abuse as "sacred cows" due to their connections.

The EFCC maintained its lawful authority to detain Otse as part of its investigation and reiterated that a valid remand order was obtained. They asserted that VDM was offered administrative bail, contingent on fulfilling certain conditions. HURIWA, however, continued to question the validity of the EFCC’s claims regarding petitions against VDM, given Adeyanju’s assertions to the contrary.